Adjustable surgical splint



H. V. SMITH.

ADJUSTABLE SURGICAL SPLINT.

' APPLICATION FILED AUG. I8, 1917. 1,418,486.

Patented June 6, 1922'. 3 SHEETSSHEET\.KV

H v. SMITH. ADJUSTABLE SURGICAL SPLINTI APPLICATION FILED AUG. I8. 19H.

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H. V. SMITH. ADJUSTABLE SURGICAL SPUNT.

. APPLICATION FILED AUG- 8. i917.

v. "UNITED T TESPATENTfQFFI y v HENRY 'v. SMITH, or cHnsrER, PENNSYLVANIA.

T 0 all whom it may concern Be it knownthat HENRY V. SMITH, a citizen of the United States, residing-at Chester.

in the county of Delaware and State of Pennsylvania, has invented certain new and useful Improvements in Adjustable Surgical Splints, of which ,thefollowing'is a specifi cation, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

. This invention relates to improvements in surgical splints, the devices used inisupporting the parts of limbs (arms and legs) which have been wounded, fractured, or operated upon. ()ne Object is'to provide, for the supportr ing'of two articulated limb elements, a deextended.

vice which will have'all of the capabilities of articles of this class as heretofore made, but which will be susceptible of use in places and under many circumstances where no earlier one, within myknowledge, can? be advantageously used. I

Anotherobject is to provide alight splint, simple in rem and structure, having:wide capabilitiesof use, but .whose parts will be so designed, connected and related that'they can bezbrought together and be devoid of projections that would interfereflwith their being packedamong otherarticles in small space.

Figure 1 is a SlCl elevation 'of a' splint embodying my improvementsj I Fig. 2 is a' top plan view of the parts Fig. 2 is a cross section on line m'w of ig. 3 shows in. side view' and edge view each ofthe several metallic parts that constitute a'set.

Fig. 3 isa' longitudinal section on the line of Fig. 2.

A I the splint in Figs. 4 and 5 Fig. 6 is a longitudinal.section'on line Figgi is a side view of a modified form of construct on embodyingmy 1nvent1on.

. Fig. 5 is a plan 'view; of the device in Fig. Fig. 6 shows detached the metal'details of co w Fig. 5. I a

'Figs. 7, 8, 9 and 9 are corresponding.

views of another form.

'Referring to the form of device shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, it consists oftwo sections of thin light material such as thin sections of hard wood or flat sheets of aluminum,

they beingindicated by 1 and 2. .Unlike the I i Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Ju ne 6, Application filed August 18, 1917. SeriaI I To. 186,891.

hinges in many ofithe eauili er forms of splints, the, hinge devices in the present structure are positioned alonga line which isextended as much aspossible soas to give a firm strong bracing, with the light mates rialsmentionedgand prevent any lost'mo'tion 1' or torsional movementsuch a'spermitted by hinges having short axial lines, and the res sult'is that the articulated parts ofan ine jured limb 'areheld firmly inthe predeter.-

minedposition.

In" the for'm now.

two metallic strips 3, 3,:whichyat their inner ends are perforated; and the element "2 {is providedwith similarly positioned strips jt', v i 4, which are-also: apertured :atwtheir ends, Through the-overlapping ends of each strip 3--and its companion, strip ejpintlepivots -5 being considered, in I Flgs; 1 to 3, the element 1 is provided with are passed, which are, secured-by rivetingor upsetting the g etalw at; the endsflThese hinge devices-are. as remote from each' other asPO Sible andthe axial'line of the hinge is thus extended-.1 1 I The 1 rei forcing? strips 3, secured to the element 1, are eachformed' withfa longitudi nal'slot6. 01113118 inner side ,of 'each st'rip 3 there is a metallic block or bar 71secured in a rebate-inthe'. edge of', the part/land is a series of sockets or apertures'9- which are positioned immediately behindandin line with the adjacent slot 6 in'the strip 3. 10, 10 are locking and bracinglinks, one at each side of the-device. Each 'link is pivoted toFone of'the strips 4 by means} ofa :riveted 'pivot 11." In the. opposite endof each link 10' there isanu aperture 12,,and adjacent to this th'erei's a cani lug 13.

, f 14: is a bail having a cent'ral connecting part 15, ela'sticlegs 16, andinwardlyturned end parts 17.

parts 16 0f thebail 14.

(the bail is rocked to the position shown in- Fig; 3 This causes the cam lugs "13f'to spread the elastic legs '16'outward, and the I inner ends of the parts'1'7 "are drawn outof the ap rtures orY sockets 9. i Thenthe elements 1 and2 can beturned'ontheira hinges '110 at 5.f When they have beenbrought to the i desired. positions the-ibail "14 :is. swung: back 85 fastened 'by screws 8 .1 -:In;this,bar oriblockf. i

, desired angle.

to its relatively inclined position, and the leg parts escape from the cam lugs 13 and by their elasticity force the ends of the pins 17 into the cavities or apertures-9, and the I The adjusting and locking devices are remote from the central plane passing at right angles through the broad faces of the elements 1 and 2. They are at the sides of the splint and at the sides of the limb of the patient. They present no projectionsythey can be adjusted delicately at anytime, and

tightly'lockedeven when in position, without'inc'onvenience to the patient. .1

Patients having splints attachedtotheir limbs are liable to accidentally or inten- 'tionally turn or twist them when the limbs are in a horizontal position. To prevent this,I extend lateral projections 23 from the sidelines of'the elements 1 and 2 far enough to serve as a rigid base. These may bepro vided by securing abar 24r-tothe lower element; or they'may-be formed in any other suitable way, as for instance, by the attachin of still' wire loops.

Vhen the splint is used for properly holding the foot ofthe' patient in relation to the adjacent parts of the lower leg,the projectingpart of the heel is assisted in attaining a comfortable support. The surface of the leg element 1, being smooth and continuous, extends on straight lines from the end of the heel to the muscle of'the calf, and at points immediately upon the heel there-is a relatively large-open space wherethe back part of the limb adjacent to'the ankle is "not 'in' contact withthe gsplint surface and is therefore without support. It is notdesirable to follow the curvature of the under side of the ankle, as it may be necessary to use thesame device for the support of the "upper and forearm at the elbow, in which case the continuous straight surface is required.

"To adapt the element .1 to follow .closely the surface of thelimb immediately above and behind the ankle of the patient, I form acavity 22 near the. lower inner end'of this element The edges of the cavity are sloped orbevele'd, and if the plate or bar is thin an aperture extending entirely through this element'can be formed as is shown in the drawings.- in eitherlcase itis in such position as to receivethe projecting part of the heel at the proper place relative to the hinge axis.

Inv Figs. 4, 5,6 and 6 a modified form of the splint is shown. It also comprises two main flat elements 1*, 2 P is a long pintle, headed at one end, and provided with a nut 5 at the other end, this pintle extending'entirely across the splint and furnish-' ing a firm brace against torsion. On each side there is a narrow, thin metallic plate 6,

i'ast'ened by screws? to the end of thebase part 1 It is longitudinally slotted at 8?"and has a pintle aperture 9' to receive the pintle l.

lO 'is a similarly shaped plate secured by screws 11 to the lower or inner end of the support element 2. It also has an elongated slot 12 and at'13 has a pintle aperture to receive the pintlel. 7 14 14 are two adjusting, bracing and locking. bars. Each is formed" ofa thin, light piece of metal and has apertures 15 and l6 'near its ends, respectively." Threaded pins 17, withwing nuts 18 pass through aperture 15 and slot 12. 'The threadedpin 20, with wing nut 21 passes through aperture 16 and throrighslot 8 Thesev devices provide for any angular adjustment .OfllhG flat elements 1 and 2, whichmay be called for and provide for locking these elements at the desired angle -of adjustment; i

This form of the splintis also provided with laterally extending base projections 23* to prevent the splint from rocking when it, in a horizontal'position, is resting upon a support. i

In Figs. 7 to Shanother modified form of the splint is shown. Here there are also two fiat limb-supporting elements 1, 2

The former is provided with two thin me- .tallic plates 6, slotted' as at 8 and the lat ter (element 2') is provided with two'similar slottedplates or bars'10 10 which are joined by riveted pintles 4 to the plates 6*.

149, 14 are the bracing and locking links which are secured to the plates 1O by riveted hinge pins. At the opposite ends these links 14* are each provided with a wing nut 18 and a threaded pin 17 which passes through the slot 8 in one of the bars 6".

In this case there are no projections extending out at the'h'inge lineinany of the relative positions of the parts. 142" arefree to cross the axis :of the'hinge, and the only projection at either side .is the single small wing nut.

What I claim is:

The links 1. Inv a surgical splint of the class described, the combination of a baseelement, a limb supporting element, both of said elements being substantially flat and formed].- of thin light material, hinging devices for the adjacent ends of said elements'and du-s plicate sets of locking and bracing devices one set at each side thereof, all of said parts upper sides or the lower sides and to have the surfaces of the upper sides ofboth elements brought to and maintained in a common plane. v

2. In a surgical splint ofthe class described, the combinationof a thin flat base element, a thin flat limb supporting element, reinforcing plates securedto each element at the end adjacent to the other, laterally remote hinge devices joining together said reinforcing parts, a bracing and lock-.

ing link at 65th side ofthe splint, ah link 15.

being pivotally [connected to a. reinforcing I part of one of the elements and slidable along the reinforcing part on the other ele-v merit, and means for locking the said brac- 'ing and locking links to hold thesaid. 'ments at different angles.

Inv testimony whereof, I afiix signature, in presence of two witnesses.

v HY. V. SMI H), Witnesses g n MARTIN GARvnY, J OHN C. DAY.

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